There seem to be more blogs on being frugal than that. When you dig into them, most of the advice is doing more for yourself. Or being self sufficient but it's never called that.

Isn't making do, mending, home cooking, growing our own, making our own from what we have, swapping, giving what we don't need to those who can use, doing second hand and all that what we've been doing here for all the years of the forum.

It is, Flo. Maybe some folk don't like the idea of self-sufficiency - sounds too difficult or something - but being frugal means they can pick areas to concentrate on. Of course they can with Ish too but maybe that isn't so immediately obvious.

What makes me smile is that many of the people doing the "frugal" TV shows etc are often very well-heeled individuals. Still as my mother used to say "You don't get rich by giving it away".

Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

The latter, I suspect. Which of course means that as they are now even richer, it's even easier for them to be frugal... ;) And feel very smug about it - they are just so much better human beings than the rest of us!

There's one that I read because it's well written that actually used the word scrimping. And this is one where writer lives in Cornwall but has bought a house in France which is being done up (and let out to cover some of the costs when family is not in residence). That's really OTT but never mind.

Some years ago I read an article about frugal fashion - the author promoted having a limited wardrobe but of high quality and classic style that could be used in many situations. Perhaps this is another approach to frugality (but not self sufficiency) in clothing? I (male - perhaps its simpler) have always had a limited, quality wardrobe simply because I don't give a stuff about fashion or others opinions about how I look. I wear the same clothes at work and casually - business shirt, jeans and Keens -all of which then go farming when they get worn & shabby

That's certainly something I've tried to do in recent years. I've never been particularly fashionable - being a larger size, so for years I just bought cheap stuff because it didn't interest me much.
Now I've lost a bit of weight I've started to take a bit more interest. I buy most of my clothes (pre-loved, as they say ) from Ebay and try to buy better quality clothes that mix and match, dress up or down (mainly down as I tend not to go anywhere much ) and will last me through (hopefully) another size or two weight loss.

Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy